National
| Median wages (2008) |
$14.10 hourly, $29,330 annual |
| Employment (2006) |
201,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2006-2016) |
Faster than average (14% to 20%)
|
| Projected need (2006-2016) |
62,000 additional employees |
29-2041.00 - Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics
Assess injuries, administer emergency medical care, and extricate trapped individuals. Transport injured or sick persons to medical facilities.
Sample of reported job titles:
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Paramedic, Emergency Medical Technician - Basic (EMT - B), Firefighter/EMT (Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician), Emergency Medical Technician - Intermediate (EMT - I), Firefighter/Paramedic, EMT/Dispatcher (Emergency Medical Technician/Dispatcher), Fire Fighter First Responder, First Responder, Flight Paramedic
Tasks
- Administer first-aid treatment and life-support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital setting.
- Perform emergency diagnostic and treatment procedures, such as stomach suction, airway management or heart monitoring, during ambulance ride.
- Observe, record, and report to physician the patient's condition or injury, the treatment provided, and reactions to drugs and treatment.
- Immobilize patient for placement on stretcher and ambulance transport, using backboard or other spinal immobilization device.
- Maintain vehicles and medical and communication equipment, and replenish first-aid equipment and supplies.
- Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.
- Communicate with dispatchers and treatment center personnel to provide information about situation, to arrange reception of victims, and to receive instructions for further treatment.
- Comfort and reassure patients.
- Decontaminate ambulance interior following treatment of patient with infectious disease and report case to proper authorities.
- Operate equipment such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), external defibrillators and bag-valve mask resuscitators in advanced life-support environments.
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Tools & Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
| Anti shock garments — Medical anti-shock trousers MAST; Pneumatic anti-shock garments PASG |
| Emergency medical services suction units or accessories — Airway suction units; Battery-powered portable suction units; Fixed-suction equipment |
| Emergency response litters or stretchers or accessories — Multi-level wheeled cots; Stair chairs; Stretchers |
| Hypodermic injection apparatus or accessories — Epi-pens; Preload syringes; Syringes |
| Laryngoscopes or accessories — Curved adult blades; Laryngoscopes; Straight adult blades; Straight pediatric blades |
| Medical oxygen masks or parts — Adult non-rebreather oxygen masks; Child oxygen masks; Infant oxygen masks |
| Orthopedic splint systems — Cardboard splints; Rigid splints; Splints |
| Spine boards — Extrication devices; Full-spine immobilization devices; Half-spine immobilization devices; Spinal immobilization devices |
Technology used in this occupation:
| Information retrieval or search software — Epocrates software; HyperTox; Skyscape software; TechOnSoftware HazMatCE Pro |
| Medical software — MedDataSolutions Regist*r |
